Car-coupling



(No Model.)

P. JOHNSON.

4GAR GOUPLING.

No. 252,775. f Patented Jan. 24v, 1882.

NiTnn STATES Param trice,

FERDINAND JOHNSON, OF TOLEDO, OHIO.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of vLetters Patent No. 252,775, dated January 24, 1882,

Application'filcd July 2, 1881. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FERDINAND JOHNSON, a citizen ofthe United States,residing atToledo, in the county ot' Lucas and State of Ohio, have invented new and useful Improvements in Oar- Oouplings, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to that class of carcouplings in which a swinging bail is employed for the purpose of raising the link into position for coupling.

My invention consists essentially ofa swinging bail pivoted to the draw-head or to the longitudinal car-sills by means of pins passing through slots in the lends ofthe bail, whereby f the bail can be raised in order to elevate the link into a horizontal position ready for coupling.

lt further consists informing saidy swinging 4bail with a curve or recess at the upper edge otl its Jfront transverse bar for receiving the link, said bar being` also provided at such point with a wedge-shaped abutment, the special construction and purposes of which will be hereinai'ter fully explained.

In the drawings, Figure l is a top or plan view of a car-coupling provided with my improved bail; Fig. 2 is an end view, and Fig. 3 a side elevation, of the same.

Aindicates the draw-head, which is provided, as usual, with the rear slide-bar, a, that abuts against a spring, said draw-head being also formed with the bell-mouth recess for receiving the links, and with the vertical holes or passages, through which the coupling-pin B is passed in order to engage the link and retain one end of the same in the draw-head. The slide-bar ofthe draw-head is arranged between thelongitudinal sills or bars O Gand under the transverse sill D ofthe car. When the link E is engaged bythe coupling-pin in a drawhead, as illustrated in Fig. 3, the link will drop into the inclined position indicated by dotted lines.

In order to raise the link to a horizontal position, so that it will enter the draw-head ot' another car, I provide a swinging bail, F, which, when raised, will strike against the link and lil't the same into position ready for coupling. rThis bail is formed with slotsff at its ends, and is hung upon the sides of either the draw-head or the longitudinal sills by means of pins G passing through its said slotted stopsH, which in the present instance consist each of' a metal plate secured in place by screws, and provided at its lower end with a stud having its top surface inclined for the bail to rest upon. The transverse front bar of the bail is formed along a portion of its length with an enlargement or downward projection,

g, which constitutes an abutment at the front of the bail. This abutment is made wedgeshaped in cross-section for the purpose presently explain-ed, the large end ot' the wedge being atthe lowest point, so that there will be a gradual taper from the base ofthe abutment to the curved edge ofthe bail. This abutment extends downwardly at right angles to the bail, so that when it is jammed against the drawhead by an opposing draw-head it will lie against the former draw-head, and thus not be broken or injured.

In coupling the cars I raise the front portion of the bail, so as to elevate the link to a horizontal position,ready for coupling. The bail can be raised directly by hand, or by any suitably-arran ged lever, or by means of a eh ain passing over a pulley at the top or side ot' the car and connected with a hand wheel oI-a pivotedlever. Vhen the draw-heads of the cars come together the link engaged by the coupling-pin ot' one draw-head and supported by the bail will be guided into the opposing draw-head, in which it can then be engaged by the coupling-pin belonging to such draw-head.

This draw-head,striking against the abutment breakagel of the bail at this point, but also,

IOO

when the cars move slightly apart, admits of the bail readily dropping down from between the drawheads, the inclined sides of the abutment allowing the latter to clear the draw heads. It' the abutment were rectangular in cross-section, the cars would have to be brought farther apart to allow the bail to drop, since in falling it necessarily must swing' in a curved path. When the bail thus swings down it will also slide forward to the extentof the slots in its ends, the pins being:T at the rear ends of the slotswhen the bail rests upon the inclined surfaces ofthe stops. \Vhen raised from this position it will be seen that its bar will come in front of the drawhead, Iand hence will not come in Contact with the same until pushed back by an opposing draw-head.

Havingr thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. The combination, in a car-coupling, ofthe Vdraw-head with the pivoted bail formed at its front portion with the curved recess f for receiving the link, and with the wedge-shaped abutment g, projecting downwardly at right angles to the bail and having an upward taper, substantially as described.

In testimony whereofl have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing Wit- 35 nesses.

FERDINAND JOHNSON. Witnesses:

JOSEPH N. GLoUsE, A. R. ROGERS. 

